DAVIS, Calif. -
Brianne Ferguson's first career no-hitter led Sacramento State to a 3-0 win over UC Davis in the opener while Lesley Mayhorn's two-run single in the eighth snapped a scoreless tie for a 2-1 win in the nightcap, as the Hornets swept UC Davis in a nonconference softball doubleheader at La Rue Field on Thursday afternoon.

Sacramento State improved to 11-6 with the wins while UC Davis dropped to 3-16. Nikki Cinque out-dueled the Aggies' Lindsay Tognetti wth a two-hitter in the second game, improving her record to 5-1. Tognetti, who didn't allow an earned run and had 10 strikeouts was the hard-luck loser, falling to 0-6.

Ferguson moved her record to to 6-2, beating freshman hurler Jessica Hancock who fell to 1-5 after scattering six hits, striking out five and walking just two for UC Davis.

"I praised our pitching staff because they're keeping us in games," said UC Davis head coach Karen Matteson. "We just have to keep working at the plate."

Ferguson had the upper hand in the first game, facing just three batters over the minimum 21. The only baserunners she allowed were on walks to third baseman Nikki Sheldon in the first and left-fielder Megan Turman in the fourth, a fielder's choice to Sheldon in the fourth and also when she hit Sheldon to start the seventh.

Ferguson struck out three and only allowed two runners to reach second, both of them Sheldon.

Catcher Erin Coyne got Sacramento State on the scoreboard first, singling to right with two outs in the third and bringing around center-fielder Lindy Winkler. The Hornets added two more in the sixth on an RBI double from Teri Ann Caogan, who later scored on a wild pitch.

In the second game, Cinque and Tognetti battled in a classic pitcher's duel with both keeping the game scoreless through seven innings. Tognetti only allowed three hits before the extra frame and struck out nine. Three times she put the Hornets down in order.

Cinque matched her by not giving up a run and allowing just two hits. Cinque had three strikeouts and just one walk in the game. The Aggies' best chance to score before the extra inning came in the fourth when Sheldon was hit by a pitch and was then sacrificed to second. Ashley Johnson later singled up the middle with two outs but a good throw by Winkler from center got a sliding Sheldon at the plate to keep the game scoreless.

The game used the international tiebreaker in the extra inning as a runner was placed on second base to start each team's at-bat. With one out, the Hornets capitalized on an error by Sheldon that put runners at second and third. After Sheldon fielded a grounder for the second out, Sacramento State got a two-strike single by Mayhorn which scored Hillary Johnson and Gloria Toledo.

"Lindsay Tognetti threw a tremendous game," said Matteson. "One-third of the batters she faced she struck out. Those are tremendous stats."

UC Davis got one run back in the bottom of the eighth on a wild pitch that plated Carie Brueckner but Cinque got the final out to end the threat, preserving the Sacramento State's fifth straight win over the Aggies this season. Four of the victories have been by a run.

Megan De La Hoya and Johnson each had hits for the Aggies, while Mayhorn had a pair for the Hornets. Coyne and Johnson also had hits.

UC Davis will return to action with a noon doubleheader at Saint Mary's on Saturday.